The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has directed Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) to vacate the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasinga, Ibadan, following concerns over the deteriorating condition of the playing surface.
In a statement, the NPFL said the stadium no longer meets the required standard for top-flight league matches, citing issues related to player safety and the overall quality of games staged at the venue.
As a result, Shooting Stars have been instructed to select an alternative home ground for their remaining NPFL fixtures. The league body proposed two options for the Ibadan-based club: the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta and the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.
The NPFL has given Shooting Stars until Monday, 2 February, to formally communicate their choice of venue.
In a similar development, Niger Tornadoes have also been advised by the league authorities to make contingency plans regarding their home fixtures. The Minna-based side has been asked to choose between Ilorin and Jos as alternative venues, as the NPFL continues its assessment of approved stadiums across the league.
The latest directives underline the NPFL’s stance on enforcing minimum facility standards to ensure safety, professionalism and improved matchday experience in the domestic league.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
